Fees are paid monthly in advance on the bases of the number of lessons anticipated in the month.
The monthly statement is e-mailed to students at the beginning of the month. The statement may include addition of purchased text books, necessary fees such as competition entry fee, and credited amount in order to balance each month.
Piano Lesson Rates
The following fees are for each lesson, not monthly fee.
Monthly fee equals to the lesson fee multiplied by the number of the lessons anticipated in the month. For example, if there are four 45 minute lessons in teacher's home, total monthly fee would be: 4,000 yen x 4 = 16,000 yen.
Fee of each lesson is charged by time duration. It does not matter how many students in a single house hold. For example if there are one 45 minute student and another for one hour, the lesson duration would be: 45 minutes + one hour = 1 hour 45 minutes.
Before starting lessons, teacher, student and/or parents discuss how many minutes are necessary for the lesson.
The longest piano lesson per person is one hour per week.
The Lesson Rates above do not include textbooks.
The Lesson Rates are updated once a year.
Monthly Statement shows how many lessons planned in the month: usually 3 or 4 times, sometimes 5 times.
Travel Time is figured strictly by Google Route Search. Among different routes, the shortest possible way is taken.
II. Lesson Option
1. Once A Week, Time Fixed (Standard): 1 hour or 45 minutes per person at a time.
2. Once Every Other Week, Time Fixed (Adults Only): At least one hour per person at a time is required. There are choices of "the 1st and the 3rd week," or "the 2nd and the 4th week." If only one lesson is done a month for any reason, the option will change to number 3 below.
3. Once A Month, Time Not Fixed (Adults Only): At least one hour per person at a time is required. This way is almost impossible for students to prepare for Student Concerts.
4. Twice A Week, Time Fixed (Very Young Students): A normal 45 minute lesson is divided into two per week. This way is very effective for very young students.
5. One Lesson, Time Not Fixed: This option is good for final preparation of competition or recital. At least one hour per person at a time is required. Student registration is not necessary.
III. Payment
Payment due is the 10th day of the month.
I accept:
1) Cash in Japanese yen 2) Transferring fund to Shinsei Bank or Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank (Online Banking) 3) Credit Card through PayPal
Missed lessons will be made up at the teacher's discretion depending on the student's need and the time available. Lessons missed by the teacher will be made up or the paid fee will be carried over to the following month.
Differences between number of lessons and amount paid is adjusted on the last day of the month and is shown on the next month's statement.
V. Canceled Lessons
If you would like to cancel a lesson, please notify 48 hours prior to the scheduled lesson. Otherwise, the paid fee for the missed lesson will NOT be credited to the next month. An emergency situation, dangerous weather, disaster situation, and illness are the exception.
Lesson time is fixed. Lessons are scheduled at the same time everyweek unless a cancellation notice is given to teacher.
The best way to notify cancellation to teacher is by e-mail.
If there are a great number of cancellations made by a student, piano lessons may be terminated.
If there are no lessons for over a month, for any reason, the reserved lesson slot may be lost.
If one person canceled when two persons take lessons, a full amount of the one person is charged, not one half of the two lessons. 48 hour notice is required in this case too.
VI. Instrument
Piano students must have a piano at home to practice. For details about instrument, please see Frequently Asked Questions.
Steinway model B (7 foot grand piano) is used for lessons at teacher's home.
VII. Practice
All students are expected to practice 6 days a week. Music study will be most successful and rewarding with consistent and diligent practice.
Teacher will make every effort to be at piano lesson on time.
Teacher will give you a call if the lesson might be delayed over 20 minutes in case of inclement weather or bad traffic situation. The call is to make sure that the student can have the lesson on the designated date or to be rescheduled.
In case no one is at student's home when teacher arrives, teacher will NOT wait more than 15 minutes out side. If a student have to leave home when a lesson is expected there and if you had no chance to contact teacher, please leave a note on the door for teacher. In both cases above, the paid lesson fee will NOT be credited.
IX. At Piano Lesson in Your Home
Please prepare a chair for teacher.
Please do not serve any drink or snack. Teacher reserves no time to drink or eat before, during or after lessons.
Teacher leaves student's home immediately after lesson.
In case a piano lesson exceeds the agreed time frame by teaching purpose, the extended time will not be charged.
X. Parents' Observation of Piano Lessons
Please do not observe piano lessons because it is distraction. Children handle lessons better when parents are away. However lessons are basically open. If you would like to see how lessons go, please keep some distance.
XI. Responsibility of Teacher, Student and Parents
Teacher will take responsibility for piano lessons. However this does not mean that successful instruction is guaranteed. Piano lessons never be successful without three persons' effort together; Students, Parents and Teacher if a student is under 18. Students need to practice themselves under the careful direction by teacher. Parents may need to supervise children's practice or to help make an conducive environment for the practice. Teacher cannot supervise student's practice everyday.
E-mail is used to communication between teacher and a student. E-mail is strictly used for educational and student managing purpose. Araya Piano Studio will not send e-mail to students for personal reasons. Also it is not used for soliciting or business promotional reasons other than Araya Piano Studio.
XIII. Privacy Policy
Araya Piano Studio collects personal identifying information regarding students including name, street address, e-mail addres, telephone number and current lesson condition. Araya Piano Studio will never ask any other personal information than above.
Personal information will be kept in strict confidence. It will never be disclosed unless court order.